Dark Religion: Fundamentalism from The Perspective of Jungian Psychology
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 First edition (English) | |
| Author | Vlado Šolc, George Didier |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | |
| Language | English |
| Subject | Jungian Psychology |
| Genre | Psychology |
| Published | 2018 |
| Publisher | Chiron Publications |
Publication date | November 9, 2018 |
| Pages | 454 |
| ISBN | 978-1630513986 Search this book on  . |
"Dark Religion: Fundamentalism from The Perspective of Jungian Psychology" is a book on religious fundamentalism and fanaticism written by Jungian analysts Vlado Šolc and George Didier. It was published in 2018 by Chiron Publications. (ISBN 1630514004, 9781630514006)
Background[edit]
The book's concept originated from the rise of religious fundamentalism and fanaticism, including instances such as the Islamic doctrine of Wahhabism and the growth of the Christian evangelical right in America.
Religious fundamentalism is an increasing issue contributing to violence in different parts of the world. Fanaticism and fundamentalism in religion can lead to cultural clashes, religious wars, terrorism, and even genocide. Some individuals who exhibit religious fanaticism may fail to differentiate between their own will and God's will, believing they possess absolute knowledge of God's identity and intentions. This state is referred to as being 'possessed by the unconscious energies of the Self.' The book explores these issues drawing from C.G. Jung's depth of psychological insights.
The book aims to spread Jung's message, encouraging readers to explore the question of religion with the intention of better understanding it, rather than having iconoclastic intentions. (pages 24-25)
Summary[edit]
The book offers in-depth psychological analysis of religious fundamentalism and fanaticism, exploring the effects of individuals being influenced by the unconscious energies of the Self. It delves into the concept of the numinosum through individual and collective psychology. (pages 33-37)
The authors, Vlado Šolc and George Didier, draw upon Jungian literature and various fields such as social psychology, developmental psychology, sociology, philosophy, anthropology, mythology, poetry, and religious texts. They discuss different forms of religion, including radical, excessive, unadapted, and extreme, within the framework of Jungian psychology, grouping them under the term 'Dark Religion.' (pages 50-51)
The book examines the difference between 'religion' and 'creed', focusing on Rudolf Otto's concept of the numinous as an experience of the Self, a transcendent source in religion. It explores the impact of the numinosum on human psychology, connecting it to Edward F. Edinger's ego-Self axis and consciousness. Additionally, the authors explore the influence of creed, a scripted, codified, and institutionalised relationship to the numinosum, on religious worship. They also investigate the relevance of ritualistic and social structures from a psychological perspective. (pages 52-56)
The book further explores the impact of rituals on the creation of defensive structures that protect against numinous experiences rather than integrating them into the Jungian typology perspective. This aspect is highlighted as a missing element leading to the development of hubris, inflation, possession, mana personalities, one-sidedness, and other modes of inadequate psychological ego-adaptation. The authors base their research on works of Marie von Franz, Erich Neumann, Mario Jacobi, Jolande Jacoby, Lionel Corbett, Edward Edinger, Heinz Kohut, Donald Winnicott, Donald Kalsched, and others on ego-adaptation and ego development. (pages 141-147)
The book introduces the concept of 'strong creed,' which encompasses different appellations for the phenomenon of possession by archetypes, such as fanaticism, fundamentalism, radicalism, and sectarianism. These expressions indicate being stuck in the land of numen and share a common denominator - possession or inflation by the Self. The authors refer to this concept as 'Theocalypsis,' which arises from inflation of the Self and Imago Dei. The Imago Dei refers to specific religious ideology, describing supreme, transcendent beings like God or gods, present in the form of doctrine or individual philosophy and imagery. The consequences of Theocalypsis are further explained under the term 'theonemesis.' (pages 148-149)
The book establishes the concept of the numinosum as a significant factor in human conscious life, shedding light on its paradoxical nature that can lead to both psychological freedom and destruction. (pages 5-7, 33-35, 108-111, 132-134)
Reception[edit]
Dark Religion: Fundamentalism from the Perspective of Jungian Psychology was chosen as BookAuthority's Best New Psychology Books. An in-depth review of the book by Gerald A. Weiner was published in Psychological Perspectives, a quarterly journal of Jungian Thought (Volume 63, 2020 - Issue 2: Transforming Sulphur).[1]
The book was nominated for the 2019 International Association for Jungian Studies Book Awards.[2]
Deborah Lukovich, PhD said: "The book is a big read, but dense academic language is brought to life through examples of relatable lived experiences. Importantly, rather than being left with a feeling of diminishment or dismissal of religion, this book reinforces the need to respect the religious/spiritual instinct that seems to be part of what it means to be human."[3]
An analytical viewpoint on Dark Religion and Conspiracy Theories from Jung Journal covered how conspiracy theories have infiltrated increasingly larger areas of cultural and political life, based on the books viewpoint.[4]
Podcast Dose of Depth covered Dark religion in the episode - A Framework for Self-Reflection in a Time of Conspiracy Theories w/Review of Dark Religion: Fundamentalism from the Perspective of Jungian Psychology, by Vlado Solc & George Didier[5]
Two Jungian psychoanalysts, Vladislav Solc and George J. Didier, have written a new book exploring the psychological causes and dynamics of religious fanaticism: "Dark Religion: Fundamentalism from the Perspective of Jungian Psychology" (2018). Their in-depth psychological analysis explores what happens when a person is possessed by the unconscious energies of the Self, what has been called the numinous or the Holy. These energies can possess a person for good or bad.[6]
See also[edit]
- Depth psychology
- Psychology
- Psychotherapy
- Carl Jung
- Archetype
References[edit]
- ↑ Weiner, Gerald A. (2020-04-02). "Dark Religion: Fundamentalism from the Perspective of Jungian Psychology. (2018). By Vladislav Solc and George J. Didier. Chiron Publications". Psychological Perspectives. 63 (2): 304–306. doi:10.1080/00332925.2020.1773169. ISSN 0033-2925. Unknown parameter
|s2cid=ignored (help) - ↑ Communications, IAJS (2019-05-16). "Congratulations To The 2019 IAJS Book Award Finalists". Retrieved 2023-07-10.
- ↑ Lukovich, Deborah (2023-08-21). "A Framework for Self-Reflection in a Time of Conspiracy Theories". Deborah Lukovich. Retrieved 2023-09-03.
- ↑ Šolc, Vladislav (2 October 2019). "Dark Religion and Conspiracy Theories: An Analytical Viewpoint". Jung Journal. 13 (4): 14–34. doi:10.1080/19342039.2019.1676142. ISSN 1934-2039. Unknown parameter
|s2cid=ignored (help) - ↑ A Framework for Self-Reflection in a Time of Conspiracy Theories w/Review of Dark Religion: Fundamentalism from the Perspective of Jungian Psychology, by Vlado Solc & George Didier - Dose of Depth, retrieved 2023-09-03
- ↑ DALRYMPLE, David J. (2019-05-23). "New book addresses religious fundamentalism and fanaticism". The Herald-Dispatch. Retrieved 2023-09-04.
External links[edit]
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